OUR MEAT MARKETS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 31 March 1923, Page 10

OUR MEAT MARKETS

Addressing a meeting of Wairarapa farmers at Masterton, Colonel T. H. Hawkins, C.M.G., assistant-general manager of the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board, Liverpool, said that the object of iiis mission to New Zealand was tr. induce New Zealanders to increase its direct trade with the Port of Liverptir,l. ■Most of the New Zealand trade was done through London, and paying »hil way freight on the produce from London !o Liverpool was not an ecouo-ircol move. This was undoubtedly duo to the fact that all New Zealand agents wt-re stationed in London. If all vxprnts were ooncenti-ated on London that' cil.v could consume it. and as she sets the price for the world a more c» - ei distn l',iition of the produce would tend to harden prices to a. better slate r.f permanency. The Liverpool demand was bigger than the supplv, a-id n& there was a population of 20,000,000 in the north against. 17.000,000 in the south, Liverpool was the best means of distribution to the multitudes at a minimum cost. One difficulty in the past had been irregular shipping. Trades would not order goods if a regular supply could not be maintained, but his board was endeavouring to establish a regular and permanent service, and an increase of direct trade would then be expected from New Zeaiand. The three great industries of Great. Britain were wool, cotton and iron, all of which were dependent on the importation of raw materials from oversea, and all of which v ere worked in the north and Midlands, in close proximity to the coal Holds, and connected with Liverpool by the most efficient railroad and canal services. Liverpool w r as the natural gateway through which these oversea products must pass, and with the finest of facilities for handling and marketing it was an economic move for New Zealand to increase her direct trade. Replying lo questions Colonel Hawkins said that there were many different styles of business at the various ports, and _ it would be hard to compare prices without going a long way into details. With its seventeen stores, Liverpool had a cold storage capacity of more than 8,250,000 cubic feet, and it was natural that a port geographically so favourably situated, with its cold stores, markets and railways, should be the distributing centre for the industrial north of England, where the demand for New Zealand produce was daily increasing. He did not doubt that with regular shipping a direct trade in frozen meat could be maintained. Though Liverpool had eight miles of docks it. was building more, and the latest addition when completed would give Liverpool the largest dock in the world. Mr David Jones, Chairman of the New Zealand Meat, Control Board, ad- ; dressing a meeting of farmers at Mas? ■ terton, said that the board intended (o keep up regular shipments of meat to . England. If this had been clone previously there probably would have been , i,o drop at all in. prices. In February last year 250,000 carcases had been ex- , ported, and from April to July, 400,000 were despatched, so New Zealand had ! only had itself to blame for the glut on I th* market. The representatives of the I board now allot the. spaces and indicate to the shipping companies what space would, bo required for a regular service.

The cheapest place to store meat was New Zealand, and shipment should be carried out over the whole of the year so that no glut occurred. The Some market was very sensitive, and the task undertaken by the board was a big one. 'Die day might come when the board would take over the whole of the meat insurance itself. It was not proposed to hurry anything, and if a more effective service could be obtained outside the board would allow it to run on. Whether the board would control the whole of New Zealand meat or not remained to be seen. In replying to questions Mr Jones said thero was little prospect of opening a veal market in England, but America was Being in- \ litigated. Mr Jones said that he had no information regarding the opening of new markets independent of Great Britain. The opening of more markets in England at present would be the best move.—(Wairarapa correspondent of the Herald,